Parmesan, za’atar & sesame straws

Throughout the holidays, one of the things I enjoyed the most about the various dinner we attended or hosted at home was the starters. Not the meat, which was in overwhelming abundance, not the wine, which was flowing non stop, but the little bits and pieces available before the actual meal: different kinds of cheese paired with fresh and dried fruit, beautiful charcuterie, smoked salmon- they were all not only delicious enough to almost keep me from enjoying the rest of the meal, but also so pretty.

I have a weakness for making and plating appetisers and party food, be it a cheese platter, a classic dip such as hummus or guacamole, or even sweet little bites. It makes your guests feel welcome and taken care of, gathers them around the table and sets the tone for the rest of the meal.

Everything cheese related makes my heart skip a few beats and cheese straws are no exception; there are endless varieties available out there, from basic store-bought to more elaborate artisanal ones, but if you can spare the time and want to kick your appetisers up a notch, I would absolutely recommend making them at home. They only require good quality puff pastry, deliciously salty parmesan cheese and any other additions you have in hand (herbs, spices or seeds), some time in the fridge and in the oven and you’ll have the tastiest, prettiest, crunchiest little show stoppers!

I made these parmesan, za’atar & sesame straws a number of times the last couple of weeks- they are so easy and fun to make, with their only drawback being how fast they disappear. I kid you not, once you put these out, your guests (and you) won’t be able to stop! Crunchy and flakey, salty and a little spicy and so full of flavour! Pair with a couple cheese varieties, crudites and some fresh and dried fruit and you got yourselves the perfect start to a great meal.

P.S. Quick reminder: the Tasty Other has been nominated for the UK Blog Awards and you can vote for it here.